Omaha daily bee., 1887-02-21
A FORECAST OF CONGRESS-
Business Which Will Probably B, Acted
On This Week.
CAUCUS ORDER IN THE SENATE:
Tho Arrangement Already Agreed
On Likely to he Carried Out
Preferred Legislation in tho
Lower House.
National Legislative Plans

WAsHlNGToN, Feb. 2O.--The probable
course of legislation by the senate for tho
coming week, and, in fact. the remainder OF
the season, may best be judged by reference
TO the arrangement agreed upon by the caucus
committees OF both sides and ratified by the
two caucuses of last week. This arrangement
Is subject to change by an agreement between
Senators Harris and Sherman, cnairmen re-
spectively of the caucus committees, who arc
authorized to confer and amend the order Of
business. But inasmuch as ii has been
reached with delibcration IL is likely to re-
main substantially as ii now stands 1t con-
templates the rigid devotion of the morning
hours until 1? o'clock each day to the consid-
Grafton OF miscellaneous minor matters upon
the calendar which are not otherwise pro-
Nided for and which do not promise to give
rise 10 extended debate. In carrying out
this part OF the programme, bills which have
passed the house and have been reported fa-
vorably from the senate committees will have
precedence. After2 o'clock the appropr alton
bills Will have sway so long as any remain on
the calendar. So far the arrangement Is liable
to interruption only by the presentation OF
and action upon conference reports, which
are always in order and by pension bills,
general and special, which, though possess.
ing no inherent rights, are by predictions
or both sides, to be accorded special privl-
leges when circumstances permit. The re-
naming time of the special session is to be
devoted to special measures of general lesis-
latlon substantially in the following order:
The Nicaragua canal bill; the resolution for
an investigation of the Pacific railroad ac-
counts; the bill creating department of az
riculture: the bill Tor the relief of depostors
in the freedman bank; the pleuro-pneu-
monia bill (if it shall be reported from the
committee on agriculture IN time) the arbi
tration Qabor) bill, and any land grant for
teiture bills; the bill to prohibit the use of
ane mails to bns lottery
bill: the bill authorizing suits to be brought
in certain cases against the United States;
bills PIN TO- settle private land claims
the bill to reimburse certain states for mone, s
expended in tho war of 1872; the bill to es-
tabliSh an international copyright system.
and the bill to quiet certain land land titles.
The list first prepared by the republicans is
understood to have contained the bill to au-
thorize the Pacific railroads to build branches,
but 1t appears to have been stricken out by
the democrats while the Pacific railroad res
olution, at the suggestion OF the latter, was
taken from near The end of the list and placed
near the head. 1t is not deemed probable
that the remaining lime OF the session will be
sufficient to complete the entire list The
river and harbor appropriation bill will prOba-
bly, be finished tomorrow and the District of
Columbia ana military academy bills, both of
which are on the calendar, are expected to
diplomatic appropriation bills are before the
committee on appropriations and are OK
pected to be repofsslida tune for faction dsr-
The most important meastuffe,at1' bes acted,
upon in the house tomorrow, il the routine
is adhered to, will be the Springer bill pro-
vding for reference of all private claims for
adjudication. The committee on war claims
will endeavor to pass that bill under suspen-
sion of the rules An unimportant private
land claim and q measure of interest only to
the District will probably consume the re-
mander of the days session. The senate
amendments to the sundry civil appropria-
tion bill will occupy the attention of the
house on Tuesday until o'clock, VIXEN eulo-
gies uDon the late Senator Pike will be in
order. Wednesday the fisheries retaia-
tory, bills will be called up and a
lively debate is expected The presidents
veto Of the dependent relatives pension biz
is set for consideration Thursday. The re-
mainder of the week will undoubtedly be de-
voted to the consideration of appropriation
bil Is and conference reports
The last SIX days of the present con neress
begin on Friday and it will then be in order
to move 10 pass any measure by a wothirds
vote under suspension of the rules 1t is
probable, however, that the managers of the
house will contrive to prevent indlscriminats
legislation under the privilege by filling in
the time OF the house with appropriation
bills or other privileged matters.